The Minister of
Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson has described the electronic
commerce (eCommerce) as catalyst for economic growth.
Making this
disclosure at the first annual eCommerce conference hosted by Jumia in Lagos,
she said that the sector has the capacity to significantly extend the reach of
wholesale and retail trade in the country leading to accelerated economic
growth and job creation.
Dwelling on “eCommerce
and ICT in Nigeria: Engine for Job Creation and Economic Growth,’ she informed
the audience that eCommerce represents many sectors and players coming together
for economic gain.
She cited an
instance with suppliers of goods partnering with online retailers such as Jumia
to offer their products to consumers that could use banks and other channels
for electronic payments to purchase items.
These goods,
she said, are then delivered by logistics and delivery companies often using
communications technology to schedule delivery.
She noted that in
one transaction the participation of entities in the wholesale and retail trade
sector, financial services sector, transport sector, postal sector and telecommunications
sector are involved.
Mrs. Johnson identified
some of the barriers inhibiting growth of eCommerce industry to include inadequate
broadband access, high cost of internet and mobile communications services, low
awareness amongst the public of the relevance of eCommerce to their lives, low
consumer confidence in using electronic payment channels, and low availability
of skilled personnel amongst others.
The Federal
Government, she said, is working to address these challenges through its on-going
implementation of the National Broadband Policy, reformation of the postal
sector amongst others.
The postal
market in Nigeria, she said, is a highly competitive sector with substantial growth potential that needs to be
deployed to give consumers increased choice and access to the postal operator’s
extensive network of urban and rural outlets.
The Ministry,
she said, is contributing towards removing payment barriers byreforming postal services
and developing postal outlets that will become venues for financial and
economic inclusion. Postal outlets constitute the most widespread retail
network in Nigeria that can be deployed to foster the reach of eCommerce in the
country.
Remmy Nweke
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